Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is one tricked-out tablet

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is definitely one tricked-out Android tablet that is likely to give Apple’s iPad a run for its money.

The device is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 3 quad-core processor and boasts a 12-hour battery life on a single charge.

The Transformer Prime also features a 10-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution (protected by Corning Gorilla Glass), 1GB of RAM, a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and an 8-megapixel camera with flash on the back.

The tablet weighs in at a mere 1.29 pounds and measures just .33 inches thin.

It will initially run Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), but is slated for a fast-track upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) shortly after launch.

Although Asus has yet to confirm an exact release date, the tablet is expected to hit store shelves in December 2011 or January 2012 at two price points: 32GB for $500 and $600 for 64GB.